01.208
Pancharatra: Arjuna's piligramage to South and encounter with crocodile.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then the illustrious descendant of Bharata proceeded to the sacred places on the southern ocean, which were highly meritorious and graced by ascetics.
The ascetics avoided five fords there, but those which had previously been practiced by ascetics were not avoided.
Agastya's tīrtha, Saubhadra, Pauloma, the supremely pure Kārandhama, the clear one, and that which yields the fruit of a horse-sacrifice; also the tīrtha of Bhāradvāja, which is a great remover of sins.
Then, having noticed the solitary sacred places, Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Pāṇḍu, saw those that were being avoided by sages devoted to dharma.
Then the ascetic, with joined palms, asked, "O delight of the Kurus, for what reason are these holy places avoided by those who speak of Brahman?"
The ascetics said.
O Kurunandana, five crocodiles dwell in these fords and carry away ascetics; therefore, these fords are to be avoided.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Having heard from them, the mighty-armed hero, though restrained by the ascetics, went to see those holy places.
Then Saubhadra (Arjuna), having reached the excellent holy place of the great sage, quickly plunged in and performed his bath, he who scorches his enemies.
Then the mighty crocodile living in the water seized Dhanañjaya, the son of Kuntī, who was like a tiger among men, while he was in the water.
The mighty-armed son of Kunti, best among the strong, seized the quivering aquatic creature and rose up by his strength.
The capture was truly excellent; by the illustrious Arjuna, she became a woman, auspicious and adorned with every ornament.
O king, she was shining with splendor, possessing a divine and charming form.
Having seen that great and wonderful thing, Kuntī's son Dhanañjaya, being extremely pleased with the woman, spoke these words.
Who are you, O auspicious lady? Where are you from, or are you a water-dweller? For what reason did you commit this great sin in the past?
The woman spoke.
O mighty-armed one, I am an apsarā named Vargā, a wanderer in the divine forest, always beloved of the lord of wealth, and of great strength.
I, along with my four other auspicious friends who can move at will, have gone to the abode of the guardians of the world.
Then we all saw the brāhmaṇa, who was of firm vows, handsome, learned, solitary, and one who moved about alone.
O king, by his austerity, that forest was enveloped in brilliance; like the sun, he illuminated that entire region.
Having witnessed his extraordinary austerity and marvelous appearance, they descended to that place with the intention of creating an obstacle to his penance.
O Bhārata, I, Saurabheyī, Samīcī, Budbudā, and Latā all approached that sage at the same time.
The women sang, laughed, and tried to entice the twice-born sage, but he did not turn his mind to any of us in any way, O hero. The great-souled one remained unshaken, steadfast in his pure penance.
He, being angry, cursed us, O best of kṣatriyas: "You all shall become crocodiles in the water and remain there for a hundred years."
